This Blog monitors all terror activities of Indian Naxals ie., PWG (Peoples War Group) and Government policies to tackle naxal menace . PWG's current goal is to destablize India and Sub-Continent by a well coordinated strategy with the help of international revolutionaries and covert support from Pakistan and China .

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Hyderabad, March 6 (IANS) Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram Friday asked Andhra Pradesh to keep up the pressure on Maoists and also called for impoving urban policing in view of terror threats.Praising the state for showing remarkable results in anti-Maoist operations, he advised the authorities to keep up the pressure. He termed as ’successful’ the anti-Maoist operations of Greyhounds, the elite anti-Maoist police force.

“I think the police forces have the upper hand now. Barring one incident on the Andhra-Orissa border, where 34 people died, the number of casualties in 2008 was among the lowest,” he told a news conference.

He was referring to the Maoist attack on a Greyhounds boat in a river in Orissa near the Andhra Pradesh border.

The union home minister, who reviewed the security situation in the state with the chief minister and other senior officials, said the preparedness level in the state was high but called for improving the urban policing in view of the terrorist threats.

“Four (police) commissonerates have been advised to improve urban policing. Key to urban policing is visibility, mobility and fire power. The chief minister has directed the DGP and commissioner of Hyderabad to implement some of the measures already implemented in Delhi and Mumbai,” he said.

Chidambaram advised the urban police authorities to station some quick reaction teams in select places so that the reaction can be very quick.

He said Andhra Pradesh would have a 256-member strong commando force on the lines of the National Security Guard (NSG). “They will be trained with the help of NSG. They will be as effective as NSG.”

He said the NSG hub would also come up in Hyderabad. “We are looking for 25 acres of land and we have identified some land, which we hope to get in the next few weeks. The deadline for establishing and making all NSG hubs in the country operational is June 30,” he said

On coastal security, he advised Andhra Pradesh, which has a 1,000-km coastline, to follow the example of Kerala by giving mobile telephones to each coastal fisherman. “They will immediately inform the police about any suspicious activity, boat and person in sea or on the shore.”

The state authorities have identified 508 coastal villages. Identity cards will be issued to the villagers under the new programme taken up by the central government.

Six coastal police stations have already been constructed. Chidambaram promised to look into the state’s request for 50 more coastal police stations in nine districts.

Under the anti-naxalite campaign the Balaghat Police was successful in arresting one more naxalite from Kirnapur jungles. The police had declared Rs 15000 on the head of arrested naxalite Rajkumar alias Ketar alias Hare singh. It may be mentioned here that the Balaghat Police had killed two women naxalite commanders and arrested two women naxaltes last year.Ten cases have been registered against the arrested naxalite, Rajkumar. Superintendent of Police Harinarayanachari Mishra had got information about Rajkumar's presence in Village Tumma today. He immediately constituted two police parties under sub inspector Manish Tripathi and Yogendra Sisodia and sent them to the village. Police arrested the naxalite early today morning from the village.

HYDERABAD: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has lauded the efforts of the State government in bringing the naxalite problem under control and achieving remarkable results in its operations, leading to police finally gaining an upper hand.

He said the violent incidents caused by the naxalites had fallen to the lowest number in the State now. The only exception was the attack in the Balimela reservoir bordering Orissa where 34 policemen lost lives.

Mr. Chidambaram was here to review the internal security situation with Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Home Minister K. Jana Reddy, Chief Secretary P. Ramakantha Reddy and DGP S.S.P. Yadav as a follow-up action on the decisions taken at Chief Ministers’ conference in New Delhi in January.

Addressing a press conference later, he complimented Greyhounds, the elite anti-naxalite outfit, for its successes and asked the government to build up pressure on the extremists. He was happy that the State was recruiting 37,500 policemen in one go.

Referring to what he called “bad terror incidents” at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park here, Mr. Chidambaram said the charge sheet would be filed in one case soon, while investigation was in progress in the other.

Asked about the tardy progress of the Mecca Masjid bomb blast case, he said the investigation had "turned cold" as two prime suspects had died.

He announced that the Chief Minister had agreed to supply mobile phones to fishermen in villages along the State’s 1,000-km coastline to enable them to alert Coast Guard when suspicious boats or persons were sighted.

Mr. Chidambaram said vigil along and off the coast would be stepped up by Coast Guard, covering Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Police in Tamil Nadu were particularly asked to keep watch on non-refugees coming from Sri Lanka.

NEW DELHI: The home ministry is drawing up standard operating procedures (SOPs) to deal with terror attacks as part of its 100-day action plan to be implemented by May 31, 2009.

The guidelines, which will form part of the crisis management plan of MHA, will cover all aspects of a counter-terror response, including rushing central forces like NSG to the attack site, evacuation of civilians and media from the site and its immediate surroundings, monitoring of communication lines and the command structure to be followed by various central and state agencies as they confront terrorists.

After 26/11, the need for SOPs was felt to ensure co-ordination of various agencies in response a terror attack. The Mumbai strikes had exposed lack of synergy among R&AW, IB, Navy and Coast Guard and highlighted the flawed response of MHA in reaching NSG personnel to attack sites. SOPs are expected to iron out these flaws and lay down a list of dos and don’ts for various agencies dealing with terrorists.

Among other highlights of the 100-day action plan — which lays down the short-term targets for each of MHA divisions, along with the exact dates by which they should be achieved — are putting in place dedicated communication lines and encrypters to connect MAC with subsidiary MACs and special branches; finalisation of changes to the Official Secrets Act; a decision on amending the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Northeast; listing of underground Naxalite leaders and their overground support groups; and a review of the IPS tenure policy.

The action plan, though only a compilation of pending proposals within MHA, was conceived by home minister P Chidambaram who then got various divisions to list items ‘achievable’ by May 31. Target dates were set for clearing these items, giving the ministry its 100-day action plan.

Among targets set for the two internal security divisions are activation of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and review of the Arms Act to allow and regulate use of arms by private sector security agencies. MHA has already invited suggestions of states regarding changes in the Arms Act.

Of the Naxal management division, the plan requires review of MHA guidelines on surrender and rehabilitation of Naxalite elements, provision of helicopters to Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra for joint operations in adjoining districts, short-duration training of special branch officers by IB, NTRO and the IB wing of AP, and delivery of more mine-proof and bullet proof vehicles.

The north-east division would, as part of the action plan, finalise in April its view on amendments proposed in the Armed Forces Special Powers Act to make it more "humane," besides revisiting the ongoing peace agreements with all north-eastern insurgent groups.

Jamshedpur (PTI): The secretary of a local tribal organisation was killed by suspected Maoists in Jadugora tola of East Singhbhum district in Jharkhand on Wednesday, about two months after the gunning down of a resistance group member in the area.

Superintendent of Police Navin Kumar Singh said Kailash Chandra Hembram, the Secretary of Majhi-Paragana Mahal, was gunned down by two unidentified persons at Jadugora Tola, a few kilometers away from Dumaria.

Hembram, who died on the spot, was on way to a fair from his native village Patnipal. Police were investigating whether Hembram had deliberately been called to the fair by someone.

He was probably tragetted by the Naxalites for being a sympathiser of Nagarik Suraksha Samity, an anti-Naxal organisation, floated by villagers under the tacit support of district police about seven years ago.

The ultras had gunned down the Samity General Secretary, Dhanai Kisku in the copper township of Musaboni on January 5.

Hyderabad (PTI): Pakistan must realise that keeping terror infrastructure intact is like riding a tiger and should take concrete steps to end the scourge, Home Minister P Chidambaram said here on Friday. "They have to dismantle the terror infrastructure. It is not enough to plan one or two measures. The entire terrorist infrastructure must be dismantled," he told reporters here.

"If the terror infrastructure remains intact, it is like riding a tiger. You know what happens to somebody who rides a tiger. They have to dismantle terror infrastructure and declare zero tolerance to any kind of terrorist activity," he said.

On the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team, Mr. Chidambaram said "We feel sorry. We condemn it. Even if it was on Pakistani players we would have condemned it". Replying to a query on the IPL schedules, he said some re-scheduling of Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches is "unavoidable" as schedules of general elections and the cricket tournament are "overlapping completely".

"The IPL schedule and election schedule virtually overlap each other. I don't blame the IPL. When they announced the schedule, they did know the election schedule. When the EC announced its schedule, naturally they did not take note of it. But I have to take note of the fact that the two schedules are completely overlapping," he said.

"I did not say that IPL should be postponed. I am trying to help them and will help IPL hold the matches. Some rescheduling seems unavoidable," Mr. Chidambaram said. The second edition of the high-profile tournament has come under a cloud of uncertainty in the wake of the deadly terror attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore and the general elections in the country which coincide with the league that starts April 10.

The Home Minister, however, said, India is safe and having cricket matches here would not be a problem. "I want cricket to be played in India. Cricket is safe and the players are safe in India," he said. Mr. Chidambaram was talking to reporters after reviewing the security situation in the state with Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Home Minister K Jana Reddy and top officials of the state government.

The meeting is a follow-up to the Chief Ministers' conference held in New Delhi in January this year. The state government has done remarkably well in dealing with Maoists problem as only one major incident happened in recent times.

The elite 'greyhounds' anti-Naxal force has been a success story, Mr. Chidambaram said.

There have, however, been a couple of terror attacks including on Gokul Chat Bhandar and Lumbini Park, he said. The probe into the Lumbini Park attack is nearing completion and chargesheet will be filed soon, he said.

Mr. Chidambaram said the state was forming a 256-strong commando force on the lines of the NSG. "They will be trained by the NSG and will be as effective as the NSG," he adding, the process of setting up the proposed NSG hub in Hyderabad is also underway.

"I have discussed the matter with the Chief Minister. The deadline for establishing the hub and making it operational is the end of June," he said. Intelligence machinery in the state has been strengthened with the Central Intelligence Bureau's (IB) office in Hyderabad and the state government's intelligence agencies working round the clock, he said.

Stressing the importance of improving urban policing, the Home Minister said, "Urban areas face graver threats. Urban policing will have to sharply improve. There is nothing as business as usual anymore".

On the coastal security front, Mr. Chidambaram suggested that the Andhra Pradesh government to adopt the Kerala model of providing mobile phones to fishermen in coastal areas. "If they (fishermen) see suspicious activities or person in the sea, they can inform the local police," he said.

HYDERABAD: The Centre will establish a NSG hub at Hyderabad by June 30. Identification of 25 acre land for it is under progress.

This will be apart from creation of a Special Commando Force with 256 personnel to deal with terrorist attacks.

The SCF will be formed on the lines of National Security Group (NSG).

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram today called upon Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and reviewed issues like urban policing, coastal security, anti-terrorist and anti-Naxal activities being initiated in the State. He appreciated the preparedness of the State police in tackling the terrorist and Maoist problems in the State.

In an effort to strengthen coastal security, the Union Home Minister suggested that the State Government examine the possibility of providing cellphones to fishermen.

He said that fishermen can use these cellphones to inform or alert the local police and Coast Guard on movement of unidentified persons in their locality to avoid infiltration of anti-national elements through sea route. He pointed out that similar system is being followed in Kerala.

“We have already sanctioned six marine police stations and are ready to examine the requests by the State Government to set up another 15 marine police stations,” he said, at a news conference later. The State Government has identified 508 villages in coastal districts to issue identity cards to local fishermen.

Stating that the ‘Urban Security’ is a cause of conern for the Central Government, Chidambaram said that people in urban areas should accept and follow the restrictions being imposed by the police for their safety. He asked the Director General of Police and the Commissioners of Police to follow the urban policing system being implemented in cities like New Delhi and Mumbai. He said that integration of three components called visibility, mobility and fire power are part of urban policing.

Meanwhile, efforts are being made to establish connectivity between the Central and State investigation authorities for information and intelligence sharing among themselves.

The network connectivity and equiment is likely to be established by March 31 and the system will be launched by May 31. The Central Government is also placing Quick Response Teams at selected police stations in the city.

Responding to a query on overlapping of schedules of the General Elections and the Indian Premiere League cricket matches, Chidambaram said full-fledged security to the cricket matches can be possible only when they reschedule the matches. “We have already asked the State police to submit a report on required personnel to be deployed for cricket matches. Similarly, we requested the IPL organisers to reschedule their matches which seems to be unavoidable,’’ the Union Minister said. He assured that terrorist attacks on cricketers on Indian soil is not possible.

The Union Minister said that the investigation of Mecca Masjid blast case has turned cold as the investigation authorities are of the opinion that two prime suspects in the incident are dead.

However, the officials are working to crack the case.

The State police is also making efforts to solve the twin blasts case at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park, he added.

Sringeri, Mar 7: The naxals are learnt to have convened a meeting of the villagers on the night of Thursday March 5 at Talagar near Bukkadibail in Sringeri taluk, where they paid glorious tributes to fellow naxals Manohar, Devaiah and Ravi who died in police encounters, sang revolutionary songs and decried the government policies. Besides, they also sought total support of the villagers to their endeavours.

Naxal leaders like B G Krishnamurty, Mundagar Lata and Prabha were among the five-member naxal team which organized the meeting. Reportedly, the gang members conducted a house-to-house visit on Thursday evening to invite the villagers to the meeting, the locals said.

The meeting was held near the house of Umesh, who runs a shop in the village, at about 8 pm. They distributed two types of pamphlets, one of which criticized the policies of the BJP government while the other gave full details of the naxals who died in an encounter at Mavinahola village near Kalasa some time back.

A few who were present at the meeting said, that the naxals dwelt in detail about the way the government functioned, their anti-people policies since the times of the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, enquired about the coolies being paid to the workers, explained the purpose of their fight and sought wholehearted support from the people.

In the meeting, attended by over a hundred people, even a question-answer session was held, it is learnt.

Monday, March 02, 2009

A mammoth 4 million civilian officials and 2.1 million security personnel would be deployed for the smooth conduct of five-phased Lok Sabha polls beginning April 16, the Election Commission said today.

Addressing a press conference here, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami said personnel of central police forces, state police forces, home guards and Railway Protection Force would be mobilised to guard the more than 828,000 polling stations spread throughout the country.

"We have had meetings with Union Home Secretary (Madhukar Gupta) on February 6 and 24 on deployment of security personnel," he said while announcing the poll schedule.

Gopalaswami said the Commission had held meetings with the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of all states and discussed in detail about the smooth conduct of the massive exercise before announcing the polling dates.

The Election Commission also had meetings with Director General of Railway Protection Force Ranjit Sinha for deployment of security personnel of the force in election duties.

The Commission will engage 4 million civilian officers, including presiding officers, polling officers, observers among others who would be drawn from central and state governments.

The challenge before the Commission as well as the security agencies would be the naxal-infested states along with insurgency-hit Jammu and Kashmir and Northeastern region.

Among the recently held assembly elections, the polling in left wing extremist-hit Chhattisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir passed off peacefully barring a few sporadic incidents of violence.

The threat of naxals was so much in Chhattisgarh that Commission had for the first time deployed Border Security Force in the state during the last assembly elections.

Nearly 270 newly trained women from Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) may also be deployed for the first time in the election duties as they have finished weeks of intensive training.

"A total of 270 women personnel will pass out from our Himachal Pradesh training academy on March 3. These women, constituting three companies, will be available for election duties in the forthcoming polls," SSB Director General M V Krishna Rao said.

BERHAMPUR: A week after the attack on Badabarada forest range office in Kandhamal, the CPI (Maoist) have claimed the responsibility.

Orissa State Organisational Committee secretary Sunil, in a release, admitted their role in the attack. He said as the forest officials continued to harass the innocent tribals besides indulging in corruption, the office was attacked.

The officials indulged in corruption by allowing timber mafia to cut down costly logs illegally and in return received a good amount, he alleged.

The Maoist leader sought compensation for the forester killed by elephant as well as others injured or killed by elephants.

He also condemned the arrest of a non-Oriya youth at Nayagarh and stated that the youth had no links with the Maoists. To conceal their inefficiency, the police arrested the boy, TB patient, in connection with the landmine blast at Andheri ghat in Gajapati district, he alleged.

PARLAKHEMUNDAI: Gunamani Nayak alias Chandramani Nayak of Birikote village was arrested by Adala police and forwarded to the JMFC, R.Udayagiri, for his alleged involvement in the landmine blast near Jhiliki village on February 16. SP Safeen Ahmad’s release today said that Gunamani was arrested on Friday and a mobile and diary seized from him revealed his association with CPI (Maoists) in Adaba and Mohana areas besides his involvement in the landmine blast.

Police also claimed that Gunamani was working for Maoist leaders Azad alias Ramesh and Sabyasachi Panda alias Sunil. Guramani is the second person arrested in connection with the landmine blast. Earlier, one John Raita alias Ramesh of Tudukapanka village under R.Udayagiri police limits was arrested.

The release further stated that combing operation, patrolling and raides have been intensified in the area

ROURKELA: The two Chandiposh railway station employees, who had been taken to an unknown place by a group of suspected Maoists early on Saturday, were released on Sunday morning. Their return meant a huge relief for their families and police.

"Around 2.15 am on Saturday, a group of about 50 people entered our office and introduced themselves as Maoists. They asked us whether we knew that they had given a bandh call in Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal on Saturday," said S K Singh, while narrating his experience with the Maoists.

"When we said we have no idea about the bandh call, they asked us to follow them. We had no option but to do that," Singh said.

"They took us at a camp inside the forest. However they never tortured us. In fact, they offered us food," Singh said. "It was around 5 in the morning that they finally set us free. But before that they explained the route which we should take. We followed their route chart," Singh added.

Early on Saturday morning, one group of Red rebels had abducted the two railway employess from Chandiposh railway station, while another group had blown up the Bhalulata railway station. Police and CRPF had rushed to the spot and combing operation got underway.

CUTTACK: Addressing issues of employment generation and sustenance effectively can prove to be vital to overcome the scourge of Naxalism, extremism and terrorism in the country, observed senior Supreme Court judge Justice Arijit Pasayat here today.

The largest recruitment source for the Naxals and terrorists is the huge base of unemployed youth. Without any job or opportunities to secure livelihood, the unemployed youth are easily influenced by the radical elements and terrorist outfits and lured into their fold. The result is being reflected in the serious increase in Naxal violence and terror attacks on the nation.

Guaranteeing employment or providing livelihood security to this section, which is vulnerable to ulterior influences, can be a deterrent to the expansion of disruptive elements, Justice Pasayat said.

Inaugurating a day-long seminar on ‘Implementation of National Rural employment Guarantee Scheme’ and ‘Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior citizens Act 2007, organised by the Orissa State Legal Services Authority (OSLSA), Justice Pasayat emphasised on proper implementation of the NREGS to address the rising unemployment problem.

‘‘But to the Government’s own admission, the beneficiaries have to grease the palms to get their wages. These should be tackled with an iron hand and awareness on their rights has to be generated among the people at the grassroots so that they can project their cases before authorities concerned’’.

The Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority also expressed serious concern at the rising trend of desertion of parents by their children in their old age. ‘‘It is shameful for the country of high ideals and lofty culture that laws are being enacted to ensure parents’ welfare. Old age homes are no substitute for homes, where the parents live with their children till end,’’ he said.

On the occasion, State Panchayatiraj Minister Raghunath Mohanty said that NREGS was being implemented in all the districts of Orissa with 50.32 lakh households under its fold. Till January 31 this year Rs 2,100.67 crore was spent on the implementation of the programme for providing regular employment to 33.35 lakh households. As many as 2.35 lakh households have gained 100 days work in a year as per the primary stipulation of the programme, he said.

Patna/Bhagalpur, March 1: Maoists blew up railway tracks and torched a station in two separate incidents in Bihar since last night, barely 18 hours after they attacked a station on the Jharkhand-Orissa border.

The rebels also abducted some railway officials, but released them later.

Lalit Kumar, the assistant station manager at Munger’s Ratanpur halt on Bhagalpur-Kiul loop section of Eastern Railway, said about 70-80 armed Maoists took him and other railway officials hostage around 10.10pm yesterday and set the station ablaze.

Later, around 2am, the Maoists kidnapped an assistant station manager, a booking clerk and a porter from Bhalui halt on Patna-Asansol section of Eastern Railway before triggering explosions on both up and down tracks. “The abducted persons were set free near an irrigation canal, some 2km from the station in Lakhisarai district,” said deputy inspector-general of police (Munger) Amit Kumar.

Sunday, March 01, 2009

New Delhi (PTI): The CRPF and NSG on Saturday got their new chiefs with A S Gill, a 1972 batch Rajasthan cadre IPS officer, and Punjab DGP N P S Aulakh taking over charge of the paramilitary force and elite commando squad respectively.

Gill took over the charge from V K Joshi, who retired today after 38 years of distinguished service, while Aulakh succeeded J K Dutt, who also superannuated. "I know this force pretty well as I have earlier served it. The CRPF will have to re-orient itself and improve the present standards to meet its new challenges, including naxals and insurgency," Gill said and termed his new assignment as "honourable".

Gill will head the world's largest paramilitary force which has a strength of 2,10,000 personnel (210 battalions), besides the newly raised anti-naxal force COBRA.

Aulakh, a 1972 batch IPS officer of Punjab cadre, will lead the 10,000-commando strong NSG, a force which was highly praised for its successful anti-terror operations, including November 26 Mumbai terror attack.

The outgoing CRPF DG Joshi was known to be an efficient officer as he had been credited with the establishment of COBRA and initiated steps for the establishment an intelligence wing in the force.

The retiring NSG chief Dutt led the November 26 operation from Mumbai with his black cat commandos.

PATNA: Two communication towers in Bihar were damaged by ultra-left activists during the 24-hour Bihar-Jharkhand-Orissa-West Bengal bandh called by CPI (Maoist) on Saturday. The call was given to protest the arrest of some senior Maoists, including Naresh, the outlawed outfit's Bihar-Jharkhand State Area Committee member, from Bihar's Rohtas district recently.

“While a BSNL mobile tower was damaged in Aurangabad district, another mobile tower of a private service provider was damaged in Rohtas district,” police said. Vehicular movement on the state and national highways in the state was more or less normal.

"We have put all the districts on high alert and reinforcements in Naxal-affected districts were sent in advance to thwart any possible Maoist attack," said a senior police official. Meanwhile, the railways put all major stations of the Danapur division on high alert.

According to Patna SRP D N Gupta, the GRP personnel escorting trains during night were asked to search each compartment of the passenger train. An ECR security official said no untoward incident was reported till Saturday evening.

CHANDRAPUR: Gadchiroli police recovered a cache of arms and explosives after an encounter with Naxalites in Karka forests, falling under Etapalli division of Gadchiroli on Saturday morning.

A group of the rebels ambushed the patrolling party of cops around 6.50 am near Karka village under the Jarawandi police station. The gun-battle lasted for around half an hour but, under strong fire from police, the Naxals retreated back into the forests.

Blood stains on two spots at the encounter site suggested that at least two Maoists sustained bullet injuries in the encounter.

Five nozzle-loading guns, 2 kg explosives, camera flash, 2 detonators, four backpacks, wire bundle and other Naxal materials were recovered from the spot, police said. There was no casualty on the police side.

In another incident, a group of Naxalites torched two trucks deployed on a road construction site near Raspalli village under Jimalgatta sub-police station in Aheri division of Gadchiroli on Saturday afternoon.

The rebels are said to have scared away the labourers before setting fire to the parked trucks. The owner of truck has claimed loss of Rs 15 lakh.

NEW DELHI: With infiltration from across the border becoming a major security threat, the government has decided to substantially increase the number of border outposts (BOPs) along both Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Pakistan borders. This would mean additional deployment of Border Security Force in the two regions in due course.

The Indo-Bangla border will see an increase in the number of BOPs from the existing 802 to 1,185 while the Indo-Pak border will have an additional 126 such posts raising the number on the western side from the existing 609 to 735.

"The construction will start in 2009-10 and will be completed by 2012-13," Union home minister P Chidambaram said on Friday, while announcing the decisions taken by his ministry to strengthen the security apparatus.

Sources in the ministry said these BOPs would be connected with high resolution close circuit television (CCTV) cameras which will be operated through a dedicated satellite. Other modern communication gadgets will also be installed at all the posts in the next four years to maintain close vigil on the international boundaries, they added.

These posts will also be linked with the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) -- a nodal centre on all intelligence relating to terrorism -- through subsidiary MACs and special branches in the states. The ministry has so far identified 30 locations across the country to install specialised equipment for establishing conectivity between MAC, SMACs and special branches of the concerned states.

The MAC -- which has replicated most of the intelligence networking features of the US Homeland Security department that was set up post 9/11 -- has been functioning on a 24x7 basis under the Intelligence Bureau (IB) since December 31 last year. Though the idea to have such a centre was conceived seven years ago, it was set up only after the country faced a series of terror attacks on hinterland leaving over 800 people killed during the period.

In another step, the ministry has appointed a senior Army officer, Brigadier D S Dadwal of 11 Infantry Division, as security advisor. "His areas of responsibility will include coordination of training in counter-insurgency and jungle warfare of paramilitary and state police forces, their operational planning and use of technology," said an official.

NEW DELHI: In a first time decisive step, the Centre has roped in a serving Army officer to arrest the rising graph of Naxal violence.

Brig D S Dadwal currently employed as Deputy General Officer in Command with 11 Infantry Division of the Army has been appointed as Security Advisor in the Union Home Ministry on attachment basis.

The unique step of involving Army is being seen as Centre firming up the decisive joint operation against the Naxals that has already been launched by the Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra on February 15 and is still continuing. The Home Ministry has already made available 12 CRPF companies (1,500 personnel) to each states along with two helicopters.

The areas of responsibility for Brig Dadwal will include operational planning use of technology for operational purposes and coordination of training in counter insurgency and jungle warfare of Central Paramilitary Organisations and State police forces deployed in Naxal affected areas.

The move, sources said, has been taken to counter the Naxals in their own manner. “It has been done mainly to pre-empt their war strategy that derives from Mao’s war doctrine. An Army man is better suited to think in terms of a war strategy than those who are employed with the police organisations,” a senior Home Ministry official said.

The move has made the Anti-Naxal Wing the heaviest in the Home Ministry that is already headed by a special secretary rank IAS officer with a joint secretary and two Inspector General rank officers working under him. Besides, the CRPF has also been granted a special dedicated 10 battalion force ‘Cobra’ under an Inspector General to head anti-Naxal operations in dense jungle areas.

Sources said Centre is planning to take on the Naxals in a big manner after coming Lok Sabha elections by roping in more states in the decisive joint operation. “As the joint operations would involve war scale planning experience of Brig. Dadwal would come handy to strategic and coordinate operations,” the source said.

SAMBALPUR: Though scores of Naxals are either nabbed or have surrendered in the district pointing to weakening of Naxal movement in the region, still experts say Naxal activities are being reported from across the border in Deogarh and Sundargarh districts. Now the onus is on the civil administration to complement the efforts of the district police with massive development activities, said SP Sanjay Kumar.

With Kumar admitting that some of the old cadres, including Gobardhan Budek, Shankar Majhi alias Badal, Vishwanath alias Bimba Bhoi, Kunu Dehuri alias Ajay, who have remained elusive, have the potential to rebuild the outfit, the experts said the district administration should take up development activities on a war-footing to win back the confidence of the locals.

Explaining that all the Naxal-infested pockets in the district are devoid of basic amenities like road, drinking water, electricity, health care, they suggested that the district administration should act fast as new development activities cannot be undertaken once election code of conduct is enforced. Maintaining that lack of facilities has helped the Naxals strengthen their base and woo people into their fold, they stressed holding both Jan Sampark Shivirs in the once Naxal-infested pockets and issuance of work orders on spot to expedite development activities.

Warning that Naxals would not allow their citadel to slip out of their hand and would work hard to rebuild the organisational base, they said it is now the responsibility of the district administration to help people join the mainstream. Pointing out that contractors are fearing to take up work in Naxal-infested areas bringing the development activities to a grinding halt, they said the district administration should instill confidence among contractors by providing adequate security.

NEW DELHI: The National Security Guard has entered into voluntary agreements with eight scheduled airline operators for requisitioning aircraft in case of an emergency.

The move comes after the Central government issued a notification empowering itself as well as the NSG to requisition aircraft in the event of an emergency. Voluntary agreements will enable NSG to get an aircraft within 30 to 45 minutes for sending out its commandos.

In the third report card of his Ministry in as many months, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that lands required to establish the NSG hubs have been identified at Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad.

“We expect land to be allotted by the governments of Maharashtra and West Bengal shortly. I have written to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to expedite the allotment of land,” he said here on Friday.

Giving details of the measures taken to increase the level of preparedness of the security forces , Mr. Chidambaram said that sanction has been issued for site preparation of 30 locations to establish connectivity between the Multi Agency Centre (MAC), Subsidiary MAC and the special branch of the State Police concerned. The Home Minister said that the CISF Act had been amended and the force would carry out security audit and make an assessment of raising and training more personnel before extending security cover to establishments in the private, joint and cooperative sectors. Mr. Chidambaram said security on the Indo-Bangladesh border and Indo-Pakistan border was being strengthened. In addition to the existing 802 Border Out Posts (BOPs) on the Indo-Bangladesh border, approval has been granted to construct 383 more BOPs. Similarly, 126 more BOPS will be constructed on the Indo-Pakistan border in addition to the existing 609 BOPs. It will be completed by 2012-13.

For tightening security at the Delhi Metro, an additional 1,633 posts have been approved which would double the total number of security personnel for the Delhi Metro to 3,266.

Under the scheme for modernisation of State Police forces in Naxalite-affected States, Rs. 383.91 crore has been released against a budget estimate of Rs. 501.53 crore for 2008-09. A joint operation against naxal cadres was launched by Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra on February 15 and it was still continuing. He said the Centre had made available 12 companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) each to Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh and two helicopters.

For coordinating the training in counter insurgency and jungle warfare of Central Police organisations and State police forces deployed in naxal-affected States, Brigadier D. S. Dadwal, currently Deputy GoC, 11 Infantry Division, has been appointed Security Adviser in the Home Ministry. To fill up posts in the newly-set up anti-terror probe organisation, the National Investigation Agency as many as 94 posts, including that of one Additional Director General and two Inspectors General have been sanctioned.

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New Delhi Naxals attacked a railway station in Bihar on Sunday. They damaged a railway track at Jamalpur Railway station in Bihar's Munger district on Sunday morning.

Jamalpur is a big junction, and is best known as a workshop for the railways. The attack is likely to affect train schedules as the junction is a stop for several trains.

The attack comes in the wake of a bandh called by the Naxals in Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa after a Naxal leader was arrested five days ago.

Apart from Jamalpur junction, the Naxals had blown up a railway track in Lakhi Saria. There were no casualties in the attacks.

"We were hiding in a house and we informed our higher authorities. They reverted and told us that police have come for our rescue. We then came out," said an eyewitness.

Meanwhile, in another incident, a group of 25 to 30 Naxalites exchanged fire with police in Gadchiroli district of Nagpur on Saturday. Police recovered five single barrel rifles, two kilograms explosives, two detonators and other material from the place.

NAGPUR: A team of the state anti-Naxal operation (ANO) has left for Orissa to quiz the top Naxal cadre, including a central committee member, said sources. The visit comes in the wake of Naxals targeting the railways in Bihar and Orissa to protest the arrests of their associates.

State ANO chief Pankaj Gupta has sounded an alert. He is presently shuffling between Nagpur and Gadchiroli to supervise the ongoing counter-offensive launched against Naxal outfits along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border.

“The ANO personnel would be keen to know the latest decisions, targets and strategies adopted by Maoists from their central committee member,” said a senior official.

“The details would be crucial in combating the Maoists in the Dandakaranya zones and adjoining areas,” said the official.

Apart from area commander Atul, central committee member Santosh Majhi alias Ashutosh Kumar is among the Maoists arrested. The Maoist outfit has given a strike call in Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Orissa after the arrest of their senior cadres.

Meanwhile, railway protection force chief K K Sharma said his men have been put on high alert in sensitive areas like Ballarshah, Darekasa, Salekasa, some locations in Gondia and parts of Balaghat.

“We are co-ordinating with senior officials of the district police and other government forces to guard railway property, including trains that pass through these areas,” said Sharma.

Umesh Chandra

Umesh Chandra, IPS was bold and daring in dealing with the naxalites. He relentlessly pursued the apprehension of extremists, naxalites and other anti-social elements. He planned and led all counter-terrorist operations himself.